The census bureau last month released the 2011 Annual Surveys of State and Local Government Finances, which breaks down revenue and spending by state and local governments.

The Reno Gazette-Journal took the figures for fire and police spending in that report and used 2011 census population estimates to calculate per capita spending.

Nevada’s per capita law enforcement spending for local government trailed only Washington, D.C., and New York.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is the state’s single largest, with about 2,485 sworn officers, the 15th largest in the country, according to the Nevada Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training.

Metro public information officer Bill Cassell said they were unable to comment on the census report.

City of Reno budget director Robert Chisel said a problem with per capita calculations is that they don’t account for other factors, like services needed by Nevada’s tourism population.

For Reno, in 2012, the average police officer — not counting sergeants or others with higher ranks — made $90,000 a year, plus also cost about $44,000 in benefits and $30,000 in medical benefits, Chisel said.